Wire brush chain



April 23, 1963 A. J. TAORMINA 3,086,235

WIRE BRUSH CHAIN Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ANTHONYJ. TAORMINA April'23, 1963 A. J. TAORMINA WIRE BRUSH CHAIN Filed July17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ////l//// I I D ATTO/PA/EV United StatesPatent Filed July 17, 1961, Ser. No. 124,663 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-201) Thisinvention concerns a wire brush chain.

The invention is directed at a chain formed with a plurality ofpivotable links having bristles extending out of one side thereof. Thechain can be wrapped around a pipe or other curved or irregular surfacefor cleaning, removing rust, etc. In the invention, the chain isprovided with a flexible handle which enables the links to be disposedand set in a desired configuration.

It is therefore a principal object to provide'a chain brush having aplurality of pivotable links with bristles extending out of one side.

It is a further object to provide a chain brush with pivotable links andincluding a flexible handle for holding the brush while in use and forsetting the links in a desired configuration.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a brush chain embodying the invention shownin use on a cylindrical pipe.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the brush chain.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the brush chain partly bent.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the views of the drawings, there is shown a brush chainincluding a plurality of brush members 12 joined by link plates 14, 16on opposite sides of the brush members and pivotally engaged by pins 18extending transversely through the brush members. The several brushmembers each has an outer shell-like casing 20 with an open bottom. Thecasing is filled with a plastic core 22 in which are embedded bristles24 preferably made of wire. The bristles all extend out of the openbottom of the brush members as clearly shown in the drawings. The brushchain 10 can be wrapped around an article to be cleaned such ascylindrical pipe 25. The chain can be moved circumferentially around thepipe or longitudinally along the outside of the pipe to remove rust,scale, etc. The brush chain can be operated manually alone or can bemounted in a suitable holder.

With particular reference to FIGS. 3-5, secured to the top or upper sideof each casing by welding 17 or the like is a flat plate 21. The plateterminates in a cylindrical ridge 23. The ridges 23 of all the brushmembers are slidably disposed in a cylindrical groove 30 formed in thebottom of an elongated flexible handle bar 32 and extendinglongitudinally thereof. The handle bar is formed of rubber or plastic. Apliable wire 3,086,235 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 34 extends the full lengthof the bar and serves to stiffen it. The wire can be bent so that thebrush members will be held in any desired straight, curved or irregularconfiguration. The ridges 23 are frictionally gripped in the groove andare held non-rotatably by the facing edges 33 of slot 35 formed belowthe groove 30'. The brush chain 10 can be used to clean any irregular,flat or curved surface.

As many brush members as desired may be provided in the brush chain. Endmembers of the chain have holes 31 which can receive further pins 18 toattach further link plates and brush members. i

The bristles may be made of wire, fiber, plastic or other suitablematerial. The shell casings 20 may be made of plastic or metal.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A brush chain, comprising a plurality of brush members, each of saidmembers including a shell-like casing having an open side, a corefilling the casing, bristles embedded at one end in the core andextending out of said open side, a plurality of link plates on oppositesides of the members pivotally connected to said opposite sides of themembers, so that the members may be disposed to engage the bristles onan irregularly shaped surface for cleaning the same, a connecting plateextending upwardly from the closed top of each casing, each connectingplate having a cylindrical ridge formed on the upper free edge thereof,and an elongated flexible handle bar having a cylindrical grooveextending longitudinally of the bar, the ridge of each connecting platebeing slidably disposed in the groove.

2. A brush chain, comprising a plurality of brush members, each of saidmembers including a shell-like casing having an open side, a corefilling the casing, bristles embedded at one end in the core andextending out of said open side, a plurality of link plates on oppositesides of the members pivotally connected to said opposite sides of themembers, so that the members may be disposed to engage the bristles onan irregularly shaped surface for cleaning the same, a connecting plateextending upwardly from the closed top of each casing, each connectingplate having a cylindrical ridge formed on the upper free edge thereof,an elongated flexible handle bar having a cylindrical groove extendinglongitudinally of the bar, the ridge of each connecting plate beingslidably disposed in the groove, and a pliable wire embedded in thehandle bar and extending longitudinally substantially the full lengththereof for disposing and holding the brush members in any particularconfiguration to clean said irregularly shaped surface.

3. A brush chain, comprising a plurality of brush members, each of saidmembers including a shell-like casing having an open side, a corefilling the casing, bristles embedded at one end in the core andextending out of said open side, a plurality of link plates on oppositesides of the members pivotally connected to said opposite sides 3 of themembers, so that the members may be disposed to engage the bristles onan irregularly shaped surface for cleaning the same, a connecting plateextending upwardly from the closed top of each casing, each connectingplate having a cylindrical ridge formed on the upper free edge thereof,an elongated flexible handle bar having a cylindrical groove extendinglongitudinally of the bar, the ridge of each connecting plate beingslidably disposed in the groove, and a pliable Wire embedded in thehandle bar and extending longitudinally substantially the full lengththereof for disposing and holding the brush members in any particularconfiguration to clean said irregularly shaped surface, said bristlesbeing formed of metal wire, said groove having edges gripping theconmeeting plates to prevent turning of the brush members in the handlebar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 52,833Eagle Feb. 27, 1866 1,405,938 Rasmesen Feb. 7, 1922 1,627,516 Larsen May3, 1927 1,894,509 Booth Jan. 17, 1933 1,946,653 Wein Feb. 13, 1934FOREIGN PATENTS 477,288 Germany June 5, 1929

1. A BRUSH CHAIN, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BRUSH MEMBERS, EACH OF SAIDMEMBERS INCLUDING A SHELL-LIKE CASING HAVING AN OPEN SIDE, A COREFILLING THE CASING, BRISTLES EMBEDDED AT ONE END IN THE CORE ANDEXTENDING OUT OF SAID OPEN SIDE, A PLURALITY OF LINK PLATES ON OPPOSITESIDES OF THE MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID OPPOSITE SIDES OF THEMEMBERS, SO THAT THE MEMBERS MAY BE DISPOSED TO ENGAGE THE BRISTLES ONAN IRREGULARLY SHAPED SURFACE FOR CLEANING THE SAME, A CONNECTING PLATEEXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE CLOSED TOP OF EACH CASING, EACH CONNECTINGPLATE HAVING A CYLINDRICAL RIDGE FORMED ON THE UPPER FREE EDGE THEREOF,AND AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE HANDLE BAR HAVING A CYLINDRICAL GROOVEEXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BAR, THE RIDGE OF EACH CONNECTING PLATEBEING SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN THE GROOVE.